Meet The Aptoiders: Sara Ferrão Cardoso, Product Manager

The Meet The Aptoiders series rolls on, as we continue to feature members of the international Aptoide team who are leading change in their respective fields, and helping shape the future of Android and mobile technology.

In this week’s session we say hi to Sara! From Marketing management, to PR & events, to consultancy and teaching, Sara has done it all. After working in media agencies and even in the financial market, Sara decided it was time to embrace her techie side and deep dive into the IT world. Read on to find out more about this fiery Aptoider and about Aptoide's White Label solution.

1. Hi Sara! Could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at Aptoide?

Hi there! I’m a positive and cheerful wanderluster, proudly born and raised in sunny Lisbon. I’ve always been very curious; even as a kid I was constantly looking for new adventures. In 2013 this motivation made me go back to school, six years after I’d finished my degree in Marketing Management, and ended up shifting my career. At the time, I had some experience in the industry, after several roles in brand management and communication but felt the need to improve some skills. It was only after a master in Digital Marketing that it became clear that IT and digital markets should be my new challenge. I joined Aptoide in 2015, when there were just a few of us working together in the same room... a lot has changed since then. We've outgrown the small room where we used to be, and now we took over two whole floors in the building.

At Aptoide I’m in charge of the Mobile vertical product team, that assures the development of customised white-label mobile app stores for partners, such as manufacturers and telecoms operating globally, that come to us looking for a tailored solution to meet their business requirements. We adapt our software and product's main features to their needs in the most effective way, helping them to promote their own brand and content. We’re lucky to have a great team on this from whom I've learned a lot so far.

2. You have a background in Digital Marketing, PR & events, and you used to do a lot of marketing consultancy and training courses/workshops. How did you end up managing our mobile partners accounts at Aptoide?

It’s true, I did a lot of things before and I feel very grateful for the valuable experiences, even if only for the self-knowledge of oneself. I started working really young, while I was still in school, which was a huge launchpad to gather different experiences that have helped me transit over the years. I went from events planning, to media agencies and even worked in the financial market before entering the tech industry. Consultancy and training were a huge breakthrough that fulfilled me the most and is at teaching that I feel the happiest. I’ll probably end up as a teacher someday, I just need to make up my mind about the subject first.

There's a funny story behind me joining Aptoide, and it came to me in the most natural of ways. I first met Paulo and Álvaro, our founders, when I applied for a position in 2014. After several meetings, I remember thinking it was going really well, but ended up losing the job to another guy! But the truth is, we did connect because a few months later they invited me to start a consultancy project in user retention analysis and I liked it here so much that I ended up staying. At the time, the Partners team was still being created and my current role became a perfect match. Our work environment is honestly one of the best I’ve encountered so far and I’m glad to be a part of it.

3. As the product manager of our white-label solution for partners, what is it that you think is your biggest accomplishment here at Aptoide? And what is the most challenging part about your job?

The biggest challenge is definitely the product itself and it’s liability. Android is an open source system, that is constantly evolving and changing, and it pushes us to stay updated on the market trends and requirements. The tricky task for my team is to consider new technical solutions and possibilities, align them with the latest market requirements, while taking into consideration the end-user experience.

Our white-label solution for the B2B channel is based on our core solution for B2C, though much more flexible and customisable, which comes as a personal challenging task - to keep up with the market pace, while focusing on product enhancement, behaviour and stability. At the end of the day it’s up to us to find the most suitable technical solutions and manage the relationship with our partners the best way we possibly can.

The best part for me is the learning curve that you get when working in these kind of environments. At the beginning it was a bit hard to get used to the “techy” world, as I was coming from management and corporate markets, and had to do a lot of research and ask many questions, in order to absorb and evolve. With time, I got more comfortable, but it’s still a never-ending job, which actually defies me on a personal level.

My biggest accomplishment is our mobile solution and our growth, as a product and as a team - we’ve evolved a lot in the last year. I’m really proud of our team work and dedication to deliver all that is needed to all of our partners on a daily basis. That is what keeps me going.

4. You've been a part of the Aptoide family for two years now, and you've worked in different teams and different products within Aptoide. Can you tell us about one of your proudest moments working in the tech industry for a company such as Aptoide?

Aptoide has as unmatched concept that captivates users, developers and partners. It was first created to provide open source apps to any end-user, as well as a free placement for developers to distribute their content. We never lose our focus on growing and challenging ourselves to do more and better.

Also, the team and different departments were created gradually, which enhances and eases communication between different areas and tasks, that actually complement one another. In these two years I can recall several moments that made me proud to be a part of this project and its growth. When we achieved the 3 billion downloads milestone last year, for instance, I felt that our common work effort as a team paid off.

5. I know you love traveling and you actually get to spread your wings every once in a while. If you weren’t working at Aptoide, what would you be doing?

It’s true, I don’t I think I will ever get enough of it! There’s always a new culture that captivates me and I’m constantly seeking for new adventures and new places to visit. I have a lot of pin points missing on my world map. I guess that if it weren't for my family and friends, I would probably pack and travel nonstop. Nothing would make sense without them though, and I really feel the happiest when I am home.

Would you like to join our big family and work with us?

Funny you should ask, 'cause we're hiring! Come join us or tag someone below you think would be a good fit! Check out all our job openings and get in touch with us.